I recently received a question from a reader about which attachment to use at the gym for the tricep pulldown machine in order to get the best results for toning the back of the arm. The answer is that all of the attachments work a slightly different part of the muscle so it may be beneficial to mix it up from workout to workout. 

The rope attachment allows you to squeeze the very back of the muscle as you bring the ends down and outward. The straight bar with normal and reverse grip, work different angles so that you can isolate the inner and outer parts of your tri. Some people feel that the EZ bar allows them to use more weight, which may be useful if you are trying to build more muscle mass. 

Remember, it is easy to get in a rut, and as they say, vareiety is the spice of life - mix it up to keep it interesting and to keep your muscles guessing! One last piece of advice, whichever one you choose, try not to imitate the model’s clothing selection while doing them - purple and green just don’t match! It’s possible that triceps respond better when wearing gym attire that matches. (Don’t quote me on that). 

Fashion tip: see number ten on my list of making fitness fun: trade grumpy and frumpy for sassy and classy. Try Femme Athletic matching sports bras and workout bottoms.